


bells will ring and the sun is gonna shine

by jolybird



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Weddings, rare pair week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-06-08 03:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15234651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jolybird/pseuds/jolybird
Summary: When Cosette's treasured necklace goes missing the morning of her wedding, it's up to her and Bossuet to race across Paris and get it back.;;pre-wedding shenanigans for rare pairs week 2018





	bells will ring and the sun is gonna shine

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from Chapel of Love by the Dixie Cups. Thanks Allstate for getting it stuck in my head. 
> 
> Inspired by Jane the Virgin & the suppressed excited energy that comes from being stuck at work the morning of your friends’ wedding. 
> 
> Happy rare pairs week 2018 xoxo

Cosette’s entire world came shattering to a halt when she looked in the mirror: her neck was bare. Her heart raced as the room started to close in on her. 

  
Maman had been trying to pawn the necklace when she met her Papa. Her Papa took her in and then adopted Cosette shortly after he tracked her down in the foster system. He was with them both all throughout Maman’s illness and he had been the one to hold Cosette when Maman died. 

  
The necklace was the only thing she had left of  her, it was what brought Papa to them, it was the reason she was rescued from the Thénardiers. It was the reason she had known her at all.

  
She spun around, trying to remember picking the necklace up today, searching her friends for the answer to the worst thing that had ever happened. She had worn it every day of her life and now on one of the most important, on the day she most desperately wished she was there--it was gone.

  
“Cosette,” Musichetta began softly, seeing the distress on her face. She leaned forward, careful of the champagne in her hand, held away from her gown, “what is it, love?” 

  
“Maman’s necklace. I don't know where it is.” Tears filled her eyes and she felt a cold wave of anxiety wash over her. They were already at the church, tucked away in an upstairs room that reminded her of hers and Maman’s room at the convent. The ceremony was about to start, there was hardly enough time to finish getting ready let alone try to find the necklace in the absolute mess that was littered around the room. Maybe Monsieur Myriel had a metal detector somewhere? She could picture him with the hobby. If he didn’t own one she could buy him one as a thank you gift, he would enjoy it. 

  
Éponine, wearing a shorter dress in the same shade as Musichetta, slipped off the desk she had been perched on, “Did you leave it home?” 

  
Cosette gasped, the memory suddenly perfectly clear in her mind, “Yes--oh no I remember putting it on the dresser so it wouldn’t be lost in everyone rushing about but I’ve forgotten it! We have to run home!” 

She made a mad dash to the door and Éponine gently corralled her back. 

  
“We can’t drive--we’ve been drinking mimosas all morning.” Éponine whispered loudly, a half hearted attempt to keep it from Cosette.

  
“Hold on--” Musichetta said, digging her phone out of her bra, “I have this under control.” She held the phone to her ear and turned away from them, talking in a quick, hushed voice. 

  
“Cosette…” Éponine spoke softly, her hands hovering out in front of her, unsure about what she could do. “Please don’t cry--your makeup…” 

  
Cosette fanned her face and nodded while blinking furiously, “Right, right.”    


Bossuet carefully opened the door with the air of someone walking into a crime scene, “what’s going on?”    


“Maman’s necklace is at home!” Cosette nearly wailed despite her every effort to remain calm and collected and rational. She knew it was silly, she knew logically it was a silly little necklace that didn’t hold any other value but the one she gave it but--she couldn’t shake that it was the only only thing she had left of Maman besides hazy childhood memories.    


His eyes went wide but he nodded like it was no big deal. “I'll go get it.”   


“No, I have to go with you.” She started towards the door but Bossuet gently put his hand on her shoulder and she paused. How much time did they have before the ceremony?    


“Just give me the key to your flat and I’ll grab it. I'll even facetime you when I get there.”   


She shook her head, tears welling up again, “no I have to go.” This was Maman, she had to do this like she had been the one to get the doctor when she passed and the one who boxed up her things to be donated.     


Bossuet looked over her head and Cosette followed his gaze to Musichetta who ran a hand through her hair and looked her up and down, “Cosette, your dress.”   


She grabbed Bossuet’s hands and ran towards the door. Her mind was made up and there was no changing it. “I'll be careful--I'll meet you at the church!” There was a weak cheer from her friends behind her as she carefully shut the door to make it appear as if everything was alright.    


Bossuet protested, citing his bad luck and his ability to run across Paris on his own again, but Cosette was single minded in her determination. She pulled him down the hall and out the side door. She was lucky everyone else was busy, she didn’t have time to talk anyone down.    


Out on the sidewalk, Paris was deceptively still. “Your dress.” Bossuet said, echoing his girlfriend from moments before but she just gathered her skirt in her hands and was glad she hadn’t decided to go full princess ballgown. She was just able to lift her skirt out of the way as it was.    


Mostly.   


She’d be fine.   


Paris was quiet, as if it was holding it’s breath but she ignored it. She didn’t have time to project her feelings onto the city right now. Not when there was a high possibility of one of her or her very very soon-to-be-husband’s friend’s seeing them and chasing them down if she didn’t book it down the street as fast as humanly possible. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust them, it was that she had to be the one to do this.    
Cosette locked her sights on the corner up ahead and just ran down the street as fast as her slippers allowed, Bossuet was looking at his phone with one hand resting on the small of her back to keep them together.    


“Go left up here, the Metro’s going to get us there the fastest.”    


“Are you sure?”    


“We have two minutes before the next train gets in.”    


Cosette didn’t say anything, she just shuffled along faster. Maybe she should take her chances without the slippers. At the very least she was going to pull on flip flops when she got back to the flat.    


Rounding the corner, they almost collided with a man in a suit who, for one terrifying moment, Cosette thought was Enjolras come to drag her back but he only did a double take and sidestepped out of their way.    


They fell more than ran down the steps and reached the platform just as the train pulled in.    


“Nice.” Bossuet whispered as Cosette’s hair blew around her face and then they rushed into the train. Everyone was giving them a wide berth, which was nice and it was clear some of them thought they were witnessing something scandals indeed, which at least kept the mood light. Bossuet sank down into one of the metro seats but Cosette didn't trust them, she just shifted her weight from one foot to the other and tried to convince herself that this was faster than running.    


Bossuet was on his phone, texting away and then he stood up and held onto the pole with her. “Courfeyrac told me to take selfies.”   


“Okay but don't send them. It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”    


“Tyche and I are old friends, she knows better than to bother you.” He held the phone up, “smile like you’re leaving Marius at the altar to run away with me.”    


Cosette snorted and he snapped the picture. The train took a curve and he used the momentum to swing around the pole back into his seat. He lifted his phone up and Cosette pushed her hair over her shoulder and lifted up her leg (not that you could tell through the layers of crylin) to pose for the picture. Bossuet laughed and she held onto the pole tighter to keep herself from swinging.    


As the train pulled into their stop, Cosette got off here every day coming home from the office but it was all so different today. The doors opened and they practically barreled into the oncoming crowd. Bossuet apologized to someone in a passive aggressive tone that was obvious to Cosette but charming to anyone unfamiliar with him. He and Enjolras both had that talent but she could never hide her true feelings. It had gotten her into so much trouble as a child but she just never learned that skill.    


They hit the sidewalk again and she could see their flat, she could picture the necklace on her dresser, she just had to get there and then back out onto the street. Where were her sneakers? They would make the run back to the church that much easier.    


Bossuet caught the railing and swung C around onto to the steps. She took them two at a time and Bossuet unlocked the door before she could even think about getting her key out. She pat her dress down--where were her keys--did she even have them? Where the hell was her phone? This was the reason she had pockets and here she was with nothing--oh wait—mints.    


She kicked her slippers off and then raced up stairs. She had tried the dress on at home a couple days ago and walked up and down the stairs to prove to the others that she wouldn’t trip, fall and disappear forever into a tulle puddle. That attempt had been slow and graceful, this was flirting with slipping, sliding down the entire staircase and taking Bossuet with her.    


Cosette stomped down onto the landing and immediately almost tripped over a pair of Courfeyrac’s shoes. Bossuet caught her and they both smashed into the bedroom door, throwing it back so that it hit against the wall and a couple hats fell to the ground.    


The necklace was pooled innocently in a heart-shaped ceramic bowl Azelma made for her when she was still in school.    


She grabbed the necklace and Bossuet spun her around so he could put it on her. The clasp proved too difficult for about three attempts and then he got it with a “fucking finally.” Cosette allowed a moment to look at her reflection in the window-it was her wedding day—this was her wedding dress and hair—and then she grabbed Bossuet’s hand and all but dragged him to the ground as she grabbed a pair of Marius’ flipflops and ran out of the flat.    


“Here--” he said, “I’ll carry you.”    


She jumped onto his back, shoes in hand and he took off running. Cosette laughed and snorted at the ridiculousness of it all. Her dress nearly devoured him in frills.    


“Can we--” Cosette asked, and then pulled his phone from his jacket pocket to check the metro times. A train was due in seven minutes.    


Courfeyrac had sent a selfie of him and Enjolras trying to fix the mess of Courfeyrac’s tie (it was in a league of it’s own as far as tie disasters went). She smiled and then stuffed the phone back into his pocket.   


“We’re running?”    


“Yeah.” She looked around to try to locate a cab but of course since they needed one, she didn't see any. “The next train’s in seven minutes but--”   


“We’ll be halfway there by then and we wouldn’t make up the time. I don’t think we could even stand still for seven minutes.”    


“I can get down if you need.” Cosette told him, her arms wrapped tight around him.    


“No it’s fine, I have to carry R and Joly all the time and half of the time they don’t even bother to hold on.”    


“Oh, is that how you broke Joly’s elbow?”    


Bossuet only swore in response.  His brisk walk down the sidewalk soon turned into a jog as the thought of everyone  waiting for them at the church began clawing it’s way to the forefront of their minds. Rationally Cosette knew that they were okay, they had invited only those who were dearest to them and they would all willingly wait all afternoon if that’s what it took. The thought of leaving them all--of leaving Marius waiting at the altar even as Courfeyrac undoubtedly would begin to hold court and proceed to catch up with everyone in the church from his spot as best man--was incomprehensible. She just couldn’t live with herself if she made him wait for her--he already seemed so nervous--as if this was something he could ever mess up. This was their wedding, this was their family, nothing could happen that would make today any less than magical.    


Cars sped past them as they came to a stop at the corner. Cosette glanced both ways, trying to decide if running down a block would make it any faster. Bossuet panted below her, trying to catch his breath.    


“Water. Do you need water?”    


Laughing, he shook his head and then sprinted across the street as soon as there was a break in the traffic. “We’re not that far.”    


Dodging pedestrians left and right, they weaved through the city streets in a floppy tulle-filled scramble. Cosette refused to look at the time but the sun was high in the morning sky and that had to mean they had taken too long—everyone was—   


“Can we please stop for a Starbucks.”   


“I am not showing up to my wedding fifteen minutes late with Starbucks.” She deadpanned and Bossuet laughed so hard they had to pause for him to catch his breath.    


“Are you alright.”   


“I know a shortcut.”   


Cosette bit her lip and just held onto him tighter as he darted around a corner.    


“Door.”   


It wasn’t a Starbucks, but it was a cafe. She opened the door, trusting him completely.   


“L’aigle?” The barista asked, pausing in the middle of taking an order.    


“Taking a short cut.” Was all he shouted back.    


He turned at the end of the counter and slipped through another door that led to a small, winding corridor. Cosette’s skirts brushing against the walls was the only sound.    


Bossuet took a sharp left and Cosette pushed open another door. They were suddenly in the middle of a restaurant. Bossuet didn’t hesitate, he just continued out the door.    


“Oh,” Cosette gasped, they were on their street. “That was amazing.”    


Bossuet just hummed under his breath, “they have the best guac in Paris.”   


They came to a stop outside the church and Bossuet let her down as she slipped into the flip flops. He held her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, “we did it!”    


Cosette threw her hands around him and hugged him tightly. “Thank you so much.”    


“Of course, mon petit oiseau.”   


She pulled away and he smoothed the front of her dress down. There were a couple wrinkles and the trim on the bottom was little grayer than it had been that morning but altogether no damage had been done. 

Cosette put her hands on her hips, “I’m a little upset. I thought for sure there would be a crowd waiting for us.”    


“I agree, this isn’t nearly as dramatic as our run warranted.” Bossuet pulled out his phone, presumably to call for a welcome party when the side door to the church swung open with a crash and Éponine came marching out, Cosette’s heels in her hand.    


“Holy shit you two aren't even late? How the fuck did you manage that?”    


Bossuet and Cosette just high fived each other and then Bossuet linked arms with Musichetta, “well I should go tell Marius and Courfeyrac they can stop trying to sneak out after you now.”     


“What?” Bossuet and Cosette laughed together.    


“They’ve both been trying to break out after you separately and together. Courfeyrac’s torn between keeping Marius here and going to help you.”    


Éponine was a whirlwind in her face as she fixed her makeup and Azelma hovered behind her, setting spray at the ready. Actually, she looked a little too ready to use it. She caught her eyeing her apprehensively and she just shrugged.    


“Here let me take those flip flops--” Bossuet said as Musichetta took her arm for balance and he helped her change shoes as Éponine continued to try to get her makeup done. She felt a bit silly and then Jehan poked his head out of an upstairs window.    


“Your husband-to-be might have a black eye but don’t be alarmed because it was just me accidentally elbowing him when he tried to get over to the window to see if R was telling the truth. We saw you running down the sidewalk like an ostrich.”    


“A what?” Cosette called up sharply, causing Éponine to scowl and wipe at the corner of her eye like she had smeared her makeup (Éponine was well versed in doing her morning routine on public transportation  so the thought of her messing up a touch up over a slight tilt of her head was almost laughable).    


“Honestly. I’m going to step on your foot on purpose later for that comment.” Bossuet called back and there was laughter from the room.    


“If you all make us late when poor Cosette had to run across the city and back I’m going to poison your champagne.” Musichetta hissed up at him.   


Grantaire joined Jehan at the window, he looked ready to tease them but his expression softened when he saw them,  “oh my god look at you. Marius, she looks radiant.” He glanced back into the room and then turned back around with a guilty smile on his face, “I’ve been trying to make him cry all morning and I’ve yet to be unsuccessful.”    


“He’s going to be emotionally exhausted by the time we get down there.”    


“Oh no, Courfeyrac, you’re absolutely not getting a peek, you’re going to cry and that’s going to set Marius off again. Do I need to remind you of the six thirty disaster.”    


“Oh no what was the six thirty disaster?”    


“They woke each other up crying.” Joly called from inside.    


“Get in the church so we can get you both to the altar in one piece.” Enjolras called and for some reason his voice made her laugh. She couldn’t explain why, probably a mix of nerves and excitement and nothing at all to do with the fond exasperation in his voice. But he sounded excited too and that meant something. They were all going to get champagne drunk later and it was going to be horrendously glorious.    


“Okay, okay everyone in.” she laughed, trying to get a hold of herself.    


Her papa was waiting inside and the look on his face almost caused her laughter to cease. Almost. He kept glancing to the stairs and then herded the lot of them into an adjacent office (it was decorated in flowers as well, every last inch of the church was decorated and she didn’t know if it was her friends or the nuns who had done so).    


If only her Maman could see her now. This was where Sister Simplice scolded her for playing in the mud and for trying to sweet talk her way into getting dessert first. The window behind the desk had seemed so big, the world outside had seemed so impossible. Now she could see the gardens where Marius had taken her on their second date and if she stood just right she could see one of the cafe’s Éponine worked at in the summer. The terrifying city of her childhood was home to her now, she knew the streets by name and memory both.    


How fifteen years can change the world.    


“You good?” Bossuet asked as he was knocked back towards her when they shut the door to hide them from the commotion on the stairs.    


“Did Bahorel get the air cannons to shoot flower petals with?”    


“He keeps telling everyone he was vetoed but he’s being suspiciously protective over his jacket in the corner of the room.”    


“I’m looking forward to it.”    


Bossuet looked over his shoulder to where the other were whispering furiously through a tiny gap in the door and then hugged her tightly. She nearly got freighttrainned by emotions hugging her back. Music started playing and then the door was pulled open and there was a lot of excited whispering at once. Her friends all gave her a last smile, hug and/or makeup/hair touch up and then it was just her, her papa and Combeferre who had fought his way over to her through the congestion.    


“Courfeyrac wanted to give you a hug before it started but it was vetoed and he was forced to settle for crying in front of everyone and sent me to give you a pre-walk hug.”    


She smiled and didn’t wait for him to move, she just hugged him quickly. “Thank you so much for everything.” Their friends, while the majority of them were distinctively the not-marrying sort, hadn’t wavered 

I’m supporting them in the slightest. Combeferre helped with the seating chart, Jehan nearly singlehandedly arranged the flowers, Grantaire had found them a caterer, Éponine had bullied them into a slightly lower price, Enjolras had addressed the invitations once he let slip he had the best handwriting of them all. Courfeyrac had been their non-official wedding planner, They all stayed up way too late last night and the night before decorating the grounds and halls of the church. All without either of them having to ask. They just picked up what needed to be done.    


Combeferre pulled away, “I put twenty bucks on Enjolras crying during the ceremony for you as part of your future honeymoon fund.”    


She laughed, “no one told me there was a bet on that.”   


“We couldn’t do Courfeyrac because he hasn’t stopped crying since Marius asked him to walk him down the aisle.”    


Marius had purposefully waited until last minute for that exact reason.    


“Combeferre—“ Azelma hissed in the hall and he gave her another tight hug before he was gone.    


In the quiet of the room, with only her papa as her steady company, she let herself breathe in deeply and then slowly let it go.    


Her Papa, who had never really been one for words, just smiled at her and held her close for a moment. He had been a little weird the past couple days, as if a vow and piece of paper would be all it took for him to lose her. She wasn’t  being traded to some other team, she wasn’t even taking Marius’ last name, she was hyphenating it. And! Their surname wasn’t even his legal name! But he wouldn’t be her papa if he wasn’t a bit outdated.    


“Are you ready?”   


“Are you?” She asked him back because he certainly didn’t look it.    


For the first time that day, his shoulders slumped and his smile was warm. Good. They were going to have the biggest party and she wanted everyone to enjoy it. “You know I love you right?”   


“As much as I love you.”    


He held open the door for her and immediately Éponine and Jehan were there, fussing about her skirt. “Perfect.”   


“Exquisite.”    


“Your turn.” Cosette smiled and waved them through the church door. When they got about halfway through the isle, Cosette and her papa took their place in the doorway. Everyone turned to look and stand.    


Her papa took her arm and she put her hand over his, her smile was so wide it almost hurt. She took a breath, glanced around the crowd in the church, all these people who loved and supported her, all these people who she couldn't have even imagined when she was a child. She met Bossuet’s eye and her smile grew wider, he beamed at her. Courfeyrac, the older brother she and Marius both never had growing up, was practically glowing and his excitement was contagious. He signed that she looked beautiful with shaky hands and she quickly told him he did as well as the music started up. She giggled and squeezed her Papa’s arm. And then she looked to Marius.    


His smile was blinding and he grabbed onto Courfeyrac’s shoulder. Her heart swelled, the music started, and then she stepped forward. 

**Author's Note:**

> 100% someone recorded them and someone finds it during the reception. It's 10 seconds of them hauling ass down the street and it gets played at least thirty times.


End file.
